A bankruptcy case is a public record and all documents filed in the case are kept at the bankruptcy court. The documents are maintained digitally and are available via a federal court database called PACER (which stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records). Through PACER you can access your complete case file and review documents, pleadings, and court orders filed in the case, including your bankruptcy petition and schedules.
The general public can access the PACER website at pacer.gov and view and print documents. The government charges 10 cents per page with a cap of $3 per document. If you accrue less than $15 in fees during a quarter on your PACER account, you are not charged anything. This is especially useful to a bankruptcy debtor who may need a copy of his or her discharge order.
You can obtain immediate PACER access by registering your account and providing credit card information. If you do not have a credit card, your PACER login and password will be mailed to you.
A second option for immediate PACER access without a credit card is through Inforuptcy.com, a third party site that allows users to search for a case or a document through its portal. Registered users can search the Inforuptcy database for free, and if the document is available, the HTML text can be viewed free. PDFs are offered for 50% off PACER’s 10 cents per page. If the document is not in the Inforuptcy database, you can download it from PACER through the site. Inforuptcy gives new users a $5 credit before they are asked for credit-card information.
While your bankruptcy attorney will keep you informed on developments in your bankruptcy case, some debtor like to be more "hands on." PACER access is simple and can provide you with immediate information on your bankruptcy case. PACER is also useful to find discharge information and documents after your case closes. If you need information regarding your case or accessing PACER, speak with your bankruptcy attorney.